ALTERNATIVE ROUTE TO MACHU PICCHU

Abra Malaga - Mountain Bike Adventure

Enjoy a half-day mountain bike tour on Abra Malaga in the Sacred Valley of Peru. This trip is a stunner. During the 5,000 feet of all-downhill biking, you will likely see herds of llamas, the massive glacier of Veronica, waterfalls, and authentic Andean lifestyles of simple stone huts and potato farms. This is the continental divide of South America, since, from here going eastward it drops nearly 20,000 feet down to the Amazon jungle basin, and the views here are outstanding. This section of highway has been described by many as one of the most beautiful in South America. By far one of the most popular mountain bike trips in the area, and with very good reason – it is over 5,000 feet of pure descent on a beautifully paved road.
Your tour starts in Ollantaytambo from where you'll drive one hour up the road to the pass of Abra Malaga, which lies at nearly 14,500 above sea level and at the foot of the massive glacier of Veronica (17,500 feet). From there, you begin a 50 kilometer descent that is one of the longest possible in the world, through gorgeous terrain. This ride is all downhill on a smooth paved road, and is truly suitable for anyone who can ride a bicycle. We have done this trip for nearly ten years and have successfully completed it hundreds of times.This ride fun. Everyone who does it loves it, due to the culture and scenery. It is a great mountain bike ride, perfect for those who love mountain biking. For those with extensive off road experience, there is a international DH course just meters away from the main road (extra cost and logistics are involved, ask for details).

LARES TREK

The Lares Trek is an off-the-beaten trail that begins near the town of Lares, 40 miles north of Cusco and 35 miles south east of Machu Picchu (see map below). The trek itself lies in the Lares Valley, east of the Urubamba mountain range, which traverses part of the Sacred Valley.
The trek can be completed as a standalone 2 or 3 day trail, or be incorporated with a visit to Machu Picchu - extending the tour by 1 or 2 days. The latter option is fast becoming a popular itinerary for trekkers due to the limits of the Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
Permits are not required for the Lares Trek. This means that you will arrive in Cusco and depending on the season (not June-August).
Of course you will need to book your train tickets to Aguas Calientes as early as possible during peak season, as well as your entrance tickets to Machu Picchu.
In terms of the current route itinerary, there are in fact a number of variations on the Lares Trek, most end at Ollantaytambo.
From here trekkers can catch a train to Aguas Calientes to visit Machu Picchu or indeed return to Cusco. We discuss each Lares Trek route variation in some detail below.
There are a number of factors that make this trek to great alternative to the Classic Inca Trail.
Firstly, and perhaps most importantly for some, that is a lot quieter than than Inca Trail.
Secondly, the route is arguably easier than the Inca Trail in that one does not need to deal with as many steps.
Altitude is still an issue and on some route you will need to deal with 3 high altitude passes that are over 4,200 meters (the highest, depending on your route is either 4,400 meters or 4,600 meters).

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INCA JUNGLE INFORMATION

INCA JUNGLE TRAIL INFORMATION

DAY 1: CUSCO-ABRA MALAGA-SANTA MARÍA
The first day starts early in the morning; we will pick you up from your hotel between 6:30 to 7:00 am. For two hours we cross through the Sacred Valley of the Incas. A very famous Valley due it is the leading producer of vegetables in the Cusco region, besides to host imposing Inca palaces and buildings. During the route we stop for 30 minutes in Ollantaytambo village, where we have breakfast and buy some candies, chocolates, cookies, and energizantes, we will continue driving for 1 more hour until arriving to Abra Malaga pass , located at 4350 m.a.s.l.From where we will descend with bicycles for around 3 hours observing small towns, fruit plantations, rivers and creeks until arriving to the town of Huamanmarca, where we catch again the car that will transport us for 30 more minutes to Santa Maria town, where we will have lunch and will keep our personal stuff in our respective rooms, because here we will spend the night. In the afternoon at 15:00 pm you can go to do river rafting (not included/optional). 2 hours of full adrenaline and fun into the Urubamba river of lll and IV level. After finishing rafting we will come back to Santa Maria where we have dinner and spend the night.
DAY 2: SANTA MARÍA-QELLOMAYO-SANTA TERESA.
We will wake up at 6:00 am and after our breakfast we will start hiking, this day will be the longest but also very interesting, we will cross through widespread crops of oranges, coffee, cacao, coca, soursop, pineapple, etc.Besides observing in the route animals of the high jungle with which you will have the opportunity to interact.The 2 first hours you will hiking on a flat surface, then you will uphill 2 hours until the summit, from where you will have an amazing view of the Quillabamba valley and also from where we will descend on original Inca Trail until arriving Qellomayo town, where we will have lunch and resting time.Then we will continue hiking 2 more hours next to river bank until arriving to la Oroya , The Oroya is a basquet with wires that we will use to cross the river and to get into to the Cocalmayo thermal baths , where we will be 2 hours. After it we will go by car for 30 minutes to Santa Teresa town where we have dinner and we spend the night.
DAY 1: SANTA TERESA-HIDROELÉCTRICA-AGUAS CALIENTES.
We wake up at 8:00 am and after breakfast we will go to zip lining (not included/optional).After zip lining we will catch the car that will transport us to the town of Hidroelectrica, where we have lunch and resting time, in the afternoon we will continue hiking for 3 more hours next to the train railway, where we will observe beautiful landscapes until arriving to Aguas Calientes town where we will spend the night. Hiking distance: 14 Km / 8.75 miles (3-4 horas). Altitude of the third stay: 2000 metros sobre el nivel del mar. (casa familiar).
DAY 4: AGUAS CALIENTES- MACHUPICCHU-CUSCO.
This day will be for sure the most fascinating for you, because you will see Machupicchu in all its glory from dawn. We get up at 5:00 am and after our breakfast we will go to the bus station for boarding the first bus that leaving at 5:30 am to be in Machupicchu at 6:00 am. Inside Machupicchu we will have 2 hours guided tour where you will visit the most remarkable places such as: el torreón semicircular, el templo de las tres ventanas, el intihuatana, el templo del cóndor, la sala de los morteros y el baño del inca. Then you will have free time to explore Machupicchu by your own or descend to Aguas calientes (Lunch in not included). In the afternoon you will board the train from Aguas calientes to Ollantaytambo, place from where you will be transported by touristic bus to Cusco.
Estimated arrival to Cusco (20:00 pm).

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